Methods related to pumping fish

Abstract

A method of reducing the quantity of fish being pumped by a fish pump whilst maintaining a sufficient flow rate such that fish cannot swim back upstream into the pump includes providing an apparatus having: a primary communication channel for delivery of water and fish therethrough; a fish pump having an inlet and an outlet and arranged on the primary communication channel and configured to pump water and fish along the primary communication channel; and an upstream bypass chamber arranged on the primary communication channel upstream of the fish pump inlet; wherein the upstream bypass chamber is configured to mix a flow of water into the primary communication channel; providing fish and water to the primary communication channel; operating the fish pump to pump the fish and water along the primary communication channel; and mixing a flow of water into the primary communication channel at the upstream bypass chamber.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of reducing a quantity of fish being pumped by a fish pump whilst maintaining a sufficient flow rate such that fish cannot swim back upstream into the fish pump, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an apparatus for pumping fish, comprising:
 a primary communication channel for delivery of water and fish therethrough; 
 a fish pump comprising an inlet and an outlet and arranged on the primary communication channel and configured to pump water and fish along the primary communication channel; and 
 an upstream bypass chamber arranged on the primary communication channel upstream of the inlet of the fish pump; 
   wherein the upstream bypass chamber is configured in use to mix a flow of water into the primary communication channel providing fish and water to the primary communication channel;   operating the fish pump to pump the fish and water along the primary communication channel;   mixing a flow of water into the primary communication channel at the upstream bypass chamber;   thereby reducing the quantity of fish being pumped while maintaining a sufficient flow rate on a downstream side of the fish pump such that the fish cannot swim back upstream to the outlet of the fish pump;   wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a conical diffuser configured to slow the flow of water into the primary communication channel.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the fish pump is a bladeless centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a central fluid communication channel registered in diameter with the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the central fluid communication channel comprises grating configured to define an outer boundary within the upstream bypass chamber which the fish can reach as they pass through the upstream bypass chamber, whilst allowing water to enter the central fluid communication channel through the grating. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein a spacing of the grating is suitably sized such that the fish being pumped through the upstream bypass chamber in use cannot pass through the grating and such that a sufficient volume of water can enter the central fluid communication channel through the grating. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises an enlarged chamber configured to slow the flow of water into the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a fine grid configured to reduce the speed of the flow of water entering the upstream bypass chamber to be mixed into the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the primary communication channel comprises first and second shut off valves configured to control the flow of water and fish in the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supplementary pump configured to pump water to the upstream bypass chamber. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to any of  claims 24 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a downstream bypass chamber arranged on the primary communication channel downstream of the outlet of the fish pump;
 wherein the downstream bypass chamber is configured in use to remove water from the primary communication channel such that the water can be recirculated to the upstream bypass chamber.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supplementary pump configured to pump water from the downstream bypass chamber ( 1500 ) to the upstream bypass chamber. 
     
     
         35 . A method of reducing a quantity of fish being pumped by a fish pump whilst maintaining a sufficient flow rate such that fish cannot swim back upstream into the fish pump, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an apparatus for pumping fish, comprising:
 a primary communication channel for delivery of water and fish therethrough; 
 a fish pump comprising an inlet and an outlet and arranged on the primary communication channel and configured to pump water and fish along the primary communication channel; and 
   an upstream bypass chamber arranged on the primary communication channel upstream of the inlet of the fish pump;   wherein the upstream bypass chamber is configured in use to mix a flow of water a downstream bypass chamber arranged on the primary communication channel downstream of the outlet of the fish pump;   wherein the downstream bypass chamber is configured in use to remove water from the primary communication channel such that the water can be recirculated to the upstream bypass chamber into the primary communication channel;   providing fish and water to the primary communication channel;   operating the fish pump to pump the fish and water along the primary communication channel;   removing water from the primary communication channel at the downstream bypass chamber;   communicating the water from the downstream bypass chamber to the upstream bypass chamber; and   mixing the water back into the primary communication channel at the upstream bypass chamber;   thereby reducing the quantity of fish being pumped while maintaining a sufficient flow rate on a downstream side of the fish pump such that the fish cannot swim back upstream to the outlet of the fish pump;   wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a conical diffuser configured to slow the flow of water into the primary communication channel.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the fish pump is a bladeless centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a central fluid communication channel registered in diameter with the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the primary fluid communication channel comprises grating configured to define an outer boundary within the upstream bypass chamber which the fish can reach as they pass through the upstream bypass chamber, whilst allowing water to enter the primary fluid communication channel through the grating. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein a spacing of the grating is suitably sized such that the fish being pumped through the upstream bypass chamber in use cannot pass through the grating and such that a sufficient volume of water can enter the primary fluid communication channel through the grating. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises an enlarged chamber configured to slow the flow of water into the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the upstream bypass chamber comprises a fine grid configured to reduce the speed of the flow of water entering the upstream bypass chamber to be mixed into the primary communication channel. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supplementary pump configured to pump water to the upstream bypass chamber. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supplementary pump configured to pump water from the downstream bypass chamber to the upstream bypass chamber.